In the manufacture of number of different commercial products, it is necessary to coat or encapsulate particulate matter. Such coatings may be applied, for example, to protect the particles from the environment, to provide timed release for the material of the particles, or to provide improved handling characteristics for the particles. A number of general techniques are practiced for providing a coating for particles and some of the known techniques involve a coating apparatus including a spinning disc onto which particles are dispensed.
However, one application for which existing apparatus and methods are not well-suited is the application of a coating that is sticky or viscous. The art is particularly at a loss when it is contemplated to encrust a primary particle within an even coating of smaller secondary particles using a sticky resin. Such encrusted particles would be of great utility in the field of retroreflective pavement markings.